Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080197754 | Method For Making an Acoustic Transducer - The present invention relates to a process for producing a block of low-frequency piezoelectric composite material having rows of superposed ceramic posts embedded in a dielectric. This process includes the production of the block of composite material from two superposed identical half-blocks, produced by cutting into a single pre-machined piezoelectric ceramic block. According to the invention, the block of ceramic material thus constituted is then machined so as to form a structure comprising rows of aligned posts, each post being formed from two elementary posts facing each other in strict alignment. The ceramic structure thus produced is then integrated into an appropriate dielectric matrix. The block thus produced is intended to be used for manufacturing acoustic transducers from composite materials. The invention relates in particular to the field of sonar detectors designed to detect objects located at a relatively short distance from the detector. | 08-21-2008 |
20080218030 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER - An ultrasonic transducer includes a cylindrical cap member having a bottom. A piezoelectric element is bonded to the inner side of a bottom portion of the cap member using a conductive adhesive or other suitable adhesive. An inner frame made of a material having an acoustic impedance greater than that of the cap member is fitted into the cap member so as to be in contact with a side portion, including the end portion, of the cap member. Through-holes are provided in the side portion of the inner frame. Lead wires are connected to the piezoelectric element and the inner frame, respectively. A sound absorber and a damper are inserted into the inner frame. The damper is in direct contact with the side portion of the cap member via the through-holes of the inner frame. | 09-11-2008 |
20080218031 | Electroacoustic Transducer - An electroacoustic transducer having one end portion of a first piezoelectric element and one end portion of a second piezoelectric element fixed to a frame such that the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element are supported by the frame in an opening of the frame in the cantilever manner. A flexible thin film is bonded to the frame and the first and second piezoelectric elements so that it covers at least a gap between each of the piezoelectric elements and the frame. The other end portions of the piezoelectric elements are free end portions, and face each other with a gap therebetween. | 09-11-2008 |
20080238259 | ULTRASONIC PROBE AND PRODUCTION METHOD THEREOF - An ultrasonic probe realizing a high sensitivity and a wide band thereof while miniaturizing a transducer and also taking into consideration a measure against generated heat. The ultrasonic probe includes: a backing material; a transducer array having a multi-layered structure in which a plurality of transducers are arranged in a first direction to compose a transducer group and a plurality of the transducer groups are arranged in a second direction different from the first direction; a first layer of conductive resin electrically connecting the first electrode layers of adjacent transducers with each other in each transducer group; a second layer of conductive resin electrically connecting the internal electrode layers of adjacent transducers with each other in each transducer group; and an insulating resin disposed in a predetermined region among the plurality of transducers in each transducer group. | 10-02-2008 |
20080258580 | Reliability Improvement For Piezoelectric Imaging Array Device - A device for scanning a biological object, such as a fingerprint, is disclosed. One such device includes an array of acoustic waveguides and a piezoelectric array device. The piezoelectric array devices may be arranged in association with the waveguide array to provide ultrasonic energy in the form of an ultrasonic wave or collection of waves to the waveguide array, and also arranged to receive ultrasonic energy in the form of an ultrasonic wave or collection of waves from the waveguide array. The acoustic energy received by the piezoelectric array from the waveguide array may be energy that has been reflected from the biological object. A waveguide array according to the invention uses internal reflection to transmit the acoustic wave from one end of the waveguide array to another end of the waveguide array. | 10-23-2008 |
20080278036 | Multi-Layer Gas Matrix Piezoelectric Composite Transducer - A piezoelectric transducer ( | 11-13-2008 |
20080303384 | ULTRASONIC MOTOR - An ultrasonic motor is provided with an ultrasonic transducer having a piezoelectric element, a holding member fixed to the ultrasonic transducer and holding the ultrasonic transducer, a pressing member pressing the holding member, and a member to be driven which is driven by frictional force between the member to be driven and the ultrasonic transducer. The pressing member has a hole portion and the holding member has a protruding portion engaged with the hole portion in a direction of pressing conducted by the pressing member. The hole portion and the protruding portion abut on each other so that the pressing member presses the member to be driven via the holding member and the ultrasonic transducer, thereby driving the member. | 12-11-2008 |
20080309199 | Ultrasonic sensor having a piezoelectric element - An ultrasonic sensor having a piezoelectric element including first and second electrodes is disclosed. The ultrasonic sensor includes an aluminum case having a bottom part electrically contacting the second electrode of the piezoelectric element, a first conductive part electrically connected to the first electrode of the piezoelectric element, and a second conductive part having a cladding material including a material exhibiting a satisfactory welding property with respect to the aluminum case. The second conductive part and the aluminum case are welded together. | 12-18-2008 |
20080309200 | Ultrasonic Transducer Module Comprising a Transmitter Layer and a Receiver Layer - Ultrasonic transducer module comprises at least one transmitter layer, at least one receiver layer and at least one ground plane. The transmitter layer and the receiver layer comprise a number of elongated transmitter and receiver electrodes, the electrodes being arranged in parallel within each layer, the transmitter layers and the receiver layers are parallel, and the electrodes of the receiver layers make an angle greater than zero with the electrodes of at least one of the transmitter. | 12-18-2008 |
20080309201 | ULTRASONIC SENSOR AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An ultrasonic sensor with stabilized transmitting/receiving characteristics capable of achieving a desired directivity easily and at low cost and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The ultrasonic sensor includes a base composed of a synthetic resin. The base includes a cylindrical side portion and a ring-shaped bent portion extending inward from a first opening of the side portion. A ring-shaped recessed portion is provided in the inner surface of the bent portion adjacent to the end of the bent portion. A piezoelectric element is disposed on the recessed portion. A sound absorber and a weight are fitted and fixed in the base. An outer casing composed of a synthetic resin is provided so as to cover the outer surface of the piezoelectric element and the outer surface of the base. | 12-18-2008 |
20080315723 | Transducer array with non-uniform kerfs - A multi-dimensional transducer array is provided. The multi-dimensional transducer array includes a plurality of elements. First and second kerfs acoustically separate the elements. A first width of the first kerf is larger than a second width of the second kerf. | 12-25-2008 |
20080315724 | Curved Two-Dimensional Array Transducer - A curved two-dimensional array transducer includes a layer of piezoelectric material overlaying a layer of ASICs which is attached to a backing wing. The piezoelectric material is diced in orthogonal azimuth and elevation directions to form a two-dimensional array of transducer elements, with the dicing cuts in the elevation direction extending through the ASIC layer so that the piezoelectric layer and the ASIC layer can be bent in the azimuth direction. The backing wing provides a flexible substrate which can be bent while supporting the ASIC layer and piezoelectric elements. In a second example the piezoelectric layer and ASIC layer are attached to opposite sides of flex circuit which provides the flexible substrate after the piezoelectric layer and ASIC layer are diced. | 12-25-2008 |
20090015104 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER AND ULTRASONIC APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - An ultrasonic transducer ( | 01-15-2009 |
20090015105 | Ultrasonic sensor and method of making the same - An ultrasonic sensor includes a piezoelectric element and an acoustic matching member that are joined together to form an ultrasonic detector base. The ultrasonic detector base is sectioned by a clearance extending in an ultrasonic propagation direction to form multiple ultrasonic detectors arranged in an array. The clearance does not entirely section the ultrasonic detector base so that the ultrasonic detectors are joined together by a portion of the ultrasonic detector base. | 01-15-2009 |
20090033176 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LONG TERM POWER IN WELL APPLICATIONS - A technique is provided by which energy is physically/mechanically transmitted down through a wellbore. The transmitted energy is directed downhole along a fluid channel and impinges on an energy converter positioned in the wellbore or at another subterranean location. The energy converter converts the physical energy into electrical energy that can be supplied to a downhole device. | 02-05-2009 |
20090058228 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER, ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS, AND ULTRASONIC MICROSCOPE - A ultrasonic transducer of the invention comprises: a transducer cell including a first electrode and a second electrode disposed separated from the first electrode by an air gap portion; and an electret for applying a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode. The electret is disposed in a region where at least a part thereof does not overlap with the transducer cell when viewed from a transmitting direction of ultrasonic waves. | 03-05-2009 |
20090072668 | Method and apparatus for optimized dematching layer assembly in an ultrasound transducer - A method for manufacturing an acoustical stack for use within an ultrasound transducer comprises using a user defined center operating frequency of an ultrasound transducer that is at least about 2.9 MHz. A piezoelectric material and a dematching material are joined with an assembly material to form an acoustical connection therebetween. The piezoelectric material has a first acoustical impedance and *at least one of* an associated piezoelectric rugosity (Ra) and piezoelectric waviness (Wa). The dematching material has a second acoustical impedance that is different than the first acoustical impedance and at least one of an associated dematching Ra and dematching Wa. The piezoelectric and dematching materials have an impedance ratio of at least 2. The assembly material has a thickness that is based on the center operating frequency and at least one of the piezoelectric Ra, piezoelectric Wa, dematching Ra and dematching Wa. | 03-19-2009 |
20090085439 | Ultrasonic sensor - An ultrasonic sensor is disclosed. The ultrasonic sensor includes a plurality of sensor elements arranged in an array. Each sensor element includes an ultrasonic sensing element and an acoustic matching member. The ultrasonic sensor further includes a bonding member having a thickness approximately equal to a space interval between adjacent ultrasonic sensing elements. The bonding member adhesively fixes the plurality of sensor elements, and includes a portion contacting each ultrasonic sensing element. An elastic modulus of the portion is smaller than that of each ultrasonic sensing element. | 04-02-2009 |
20090085440 | ULTRASONIC PROBE - A wideband and high sensitive ultrasonic probe adaptable to harmonic imaging by improving the sensitivity of vibrators in a wider frequency band without hindering the operation of piezoelectric materials. The ultrasonic probe includes: a vibrator array including plural vibrators for transmitting and/or receiving ultrasonic waves, each of the plural vibrators including plural piezoelectric materials arranged in parallel between a first electrode and a second electrode and having different frequency constants from one another; at least one acoustic matching layer provided on a first surface of the vibrator array; and a backing material provided on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the vibrator array. | 04-02-2009 |
20090096326 | PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR, ACOUSTIC COMPONENT, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A piezoelectric actuator capable of providing high sound pressure and excellent frequency characteristics when it is used as an acoustic element and advantageous for a reduction in size. The piezoelectric actuator ( | 04-16-2009 |
20090108708 | MICROMACHINED PIEZOELECTRIC ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER ARRAYS - A piezoelectric composite micromachined ultrasound transducer including single and multilayer 1-D and 2-D arrays having through-wafer-vias (TWVs) that significantly decreased electrical impedance per element, and hence the improved electrical impedance matching to T/R electronics and improved signal to noise ratio is disclosed. The TWVs facilitate integrated interconnection in single element transducers (positive and negative contact on the same side) and array transducers (contact pads array for integration with T/R switches and/or pre-amplifier circuits). | 04-30-2009 |
20090115290 | Ultrawideband Ultrasonic Transducer - A transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves and a method for constructing a transducer. The transducer having layers of a single crystal piezoelectric material stacked in a multilayer arrangement and a polymer material geometrically arranged within each layer to form a 3-1 connectivity piezoelectric and polymer composite. The multilayer arrangement includes at least two layers of different thickness. The structure allows the generation of odd and even harmonics to significantly increase bandwith without reducing signal amplitude or efficiency. | 05-07-2009 |
20090134746 | ULTRASONIC PROBE, ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS, AND ULTRASONIC PROBE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A plurality of piezoelectric elements are arrayed two-dimensionally. A plurality of electrodes are respectively formed on the plurality of piezoelectric elements. A plurality of non-conductive members have columnar shape and are arranged on the plurality of electrodes. A plurality of internal metal layers are respectively provided for the plurality of non-conductive members. The internal metal layers reach from arrangement surfaces of the non-conductive members to other surfaces of the non-conductive members. The arrangement surfaces are opposite to the other surfaces. | 05-28-2009 |
20090140609 | Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers - A capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) includes a structured membrane which possesses improved frequency response characteristics. Some embodiments provide CMUTs which include a substrate, a first electrode, a second movable electrode, and a structured membrane. The movable second electrode is spaced apart from the first electrode and is coupled to the structured membrane. The structured membrane is shaped to possess a selected resonant frequency or an optimized frequency response. The structured membrane can include a plate and a beam coupled to the plate such that the resonant frequency of the structured membrane is greater than the resonant frequency of the plate. Furthermore, the ratio of the resonant frequency of the structured membrane over the mass of the structured membrane can be greater than the ratio of the resonant frequency of the plate over the mass of the plate. In some embodiments, the CMUT is an embedded spring ESCMUT. | 06-04-2009 |
20090184604 | COMPACT THERMOACOUSTIC ARRAY ENERGY CONVERTER - A thermoacoustic array energy converter consists of heat driven thermoacoustic prime movers in parallel coupled by means of an acoustic cavity to a piezoelectric electrical generator whose output is rectified and fed to an energy storage element. The prime movers convert heat to sound in a resonator. The sound form a phase-locked array is converted to electricity by means of the piezoelectric element. The generated electric energy is converted to DC by means of a rectifier set and it is then stored in a battery or supercapacitor. The generated electric energy can also be converted to power line frequency. | 07-23-2009 |
20090189488 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER FOR A PROXIMITY SENSOR - An ultrasonic transducer assembly for use in sensing the location of objects in proximity to the transducer. The ultrasonic transducer assembly includes a substrate member, a piezoceramic resonator plate supported on a planar surface of the substrate member adjacent to a peripheral edge of the substrate member, and a coupler connected to a surface of the resonator plate for acoustically coupling the resonator plate to a medium in contact with the coupler. | 07-30-2009 |
20090230820 | Multi-element piezoelectric transducers - A piezoelectric transducer formed of a body of piezoelectric material having first and second opposed sides and first and second electrically conductive layers on the first and second sides respectively of the piezoelectric body, wherein the piezoelectric body and the electrically conductive layers are so constructed that they form a plurality of separate adjacent series-connected transducer elements. A method of manufacturing such a transducer is also disclosed. The piezoelectric body may have a substantially uniform direction of polarization, or alternating zones of opposite polarization. The conductive layers may be continuous or discontinuous, together forming isolated electrode pairs to define the individual transducer elements. The elements can be hard wired or connected through a switching circuit to display either circumferential or axial or other ultrasonic focal patterns, and may be connected in a parallel, rather than a series configuration. When connected in series, advantageously higher impedance can be obtained, compared to the parallel configuration. | 09-17-2009 |
20090251028 | Transducer apparatus for intravascular blood flow measurement - A dual spiral transducer and method of manufacture of same is disclosed. In one aspect, the transducer comprises a central rod, a first spiral piezoelectric electrode wrapped around a circumference of the rod, the electrode being advanced around the rod at a determined angle determined based on a length of a single complete turn around the rod and a diameter of the rod and a second spiral piezoelectric electrode wrapped around the circumference of the rod, the second spiral electrode being electrically isolated, and offset, from the first spiral electrode by a known distance. A second set of spiral electrodes can be integrated into the structure so that both transmission and reception of signals is feasible. | 10-08-2009 |
20090267457 | Bulk acoustic wave resonator with reduced energy loss - According to an exemplary embodiment, a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator includes a piezoelectric layer having a disrupted texture region, where the disrupted texture region is situated in a controlled thickness region of the BAW resonator. The BAW resonator further includes lower and upper electrodes situated on opposite surfaces of the piezoelectric layer. The controlled thickness region has controlled electromechanical coupling and includes a segment of material situated over the upper electrode. The segment of material can be a metal or a dielectric material. The disrupted texture region can be situated at an edge of the BAW resonator and can extend along a perimeter of the BAW resonator. | 10-29-2009 |
20090267458 | APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING EAVESDROPPING USING PIEZOELECTRIC FILM - Provided is an apparatus for preventing eavesdropping using a piezoelectric film. The apparatus includes a vibrator including the piezoelectric film, conductive layers connected to top and bottom surfaces of the piezoelectric film, and electrodes connected to the conductive layers, and a noise signal generator electrically connected to the vibrator to generate and transmit an electrical noise signal to the vibrator. The vibrator generates vibration in a solid body in close contact with itself in response to the electrical noise signal. | 10-29-2009 |
20090302712 | ULTRASONIC SENSOR - A case member of an ultrasonic sensor includes an outer case member having a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom surface and an inner case member. Cutout portions having a predetermined size are arranged so as to face each other in a lower portion of a sidewall of the inner case member. The inner case member is made of a metal material having a density that is greater than that of the outer case member. Consequently, an elliptical vibrating-surface amplitude profile can be formed in a vibrating surface of the ultrasonic sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor having stable anisotropy in directional properties can be provided. Further, the ultrasonic sensor has a small amount of displacement of side vibration. | 12-10-2009 |
20100001619 | PEROVSKITE-TYPE OXIDE SINGLE CRYSTAL AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME, COMPOSITE PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIAL, PIEZOELECTRIC VIBRATOR, ULTRASONIC PROBE, AND ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - A method of manufacturing a perovskite-type oxide single crystal having a desired composition and exhibiting excellent properties. The method includes the steps of: (a) forming a precursor of a perovskite-type oxide, at least a part of which is in an amorphous state, on a seed single crystal substrate to prepare a complex of the seed single crystal and the precursor, and (b) heat-treating the complex to induce solid phase epitaxy in the precursor, and thereby, forming a single crystal of the perovskite-type oxide. | 01-07-2010 |
20100013356 | COMPLIANT ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER TRANSDUCERS FOR SONIC APPLICATIONS - Described herein are compliant electroactive polymer transducers for use in acoustic applications. A compliant electroactive polymer transducer includes a compliant electroactive polymer at least two electrodes. For sound production, circuitry in electrical communication with the transducer electrodes is configured to apply a driving signal that causes the electroactive polymer to deflect in the acoustic range. | 01-21-2010 |
20100038998 | PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - Piezoelectric actuator ( | 02-18-2010 |
20100052478 | Longitudinal Pulse Wave Array - An acoustic pulse array is described. The pulse array can include a plane wave pulse generator having a first side from which a first wave emanates, and a second side from which a second wave emanates. A first waveguide array can be attached to the generator on the first side of the generator, and a second waveguide array can be attached to a second side of the generator. One or more of the waveguides can be attached to the generator so as to orient the waveguide to transmit wave pulses in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the generator. | 03-04-2010 |
20100109480 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A MEMBRANE AND OBJECT PROVIDED WITH SUCH A MEMBRANE - The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a membrane or wall ( | 05-06-2010 |
20100123368 | FILM FORMATION METHOD, FILM FORMATION DEVICE, PIEZOELECTRIC FILM, PIEZOELECTRIC DEVICE, LIQUID DISCHARGE DEVICE AND PIEZOELECTRIC ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER - When a film containing constituent elements of a target is formed on a substrate through a vapor deposition process using plasma with placing the substrate and the target to face each other, a potential in a spatial range of at least 10 mm extending laterally from the outer circumference of the substrate is controlled to be equal to a potential on the substrate, and/or the substrate is surrounded with a wall surface having a potential controlled to be equal to the potential on the substrate. | 05-20-2010 |
20100141093 | ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER ARRAYS - An ultrasonic transducer ( | 06-10-2010 |
20100156243 | ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER FEATURING A PITCH INDEPENDENT INTERPOSER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME - An ultrasound transducer | 06-24-2010 |
20100213793 | PROCESS FOR THE SURFACE TREATMENT OF ALUMINIUM AND A LAYERWISE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ALUMINIUM COMPONENT HAVING AN ELECTRIC CONTACT - The invention proposes a process for the surface treatment of aluminium in order to produce an electrical contact, and a corresponding component part, wherein an oxide layer on the aluminium surface is removed, for example by etching, in a first step and, in a second step, before an oxide layer is re-formed, the surface is sealed wet-chemically with a conversion layer having metal ions of zirconium or titanium. | 08-26-2010 |
20100231093 | ANTI-EMI ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER - An anti-EMI ultrasonic transducer has a conductive casing, a piezoelectric ceramic board having an opening, a conductive shelter, a first and second wires and an encapsulation. A first electrode face of the piezoelectric ceramic board faces to the opening and a second electrode face is mounted inside the conductive casing. The conductive shelter is mounted inside the conductive casing or covered to the opening, so the piezoelectric ceramic board is encapsulated in the conductive shelter and the conductive casing. Since the second signal wire is connected to the conductive shelter mounted inside the conductive casing, the conductive shelter and the conductive casing and the second electrode face of the piezoelectric ceramic board are commonly electronically connected to a voltage signal transmitted by the second signal wire. Therefore, the conductive shelter and the conductive casing are constituted to an EMI shelter for the piezoelectric ceramic board to resist external EMI signal. | 09-16-2010 |
20100237746 | MULTI-LAYERED IMPEDANCE MATCHING STRUCTURE FOR ULTRASOUND PROBE - An acoustical stack for an ultrasound probe comprises a piezoelectric layer having top and bottom sides and a plurality of matching layer sections forming a matching layer structure. Each of the matching layer sections comprises a spring layer comprising a first material and a mass layer comprising a second material that is different than the first material. The spring layer within the matching layer section that is positioned closest to the piezoelectric layer is thinner than the spring layer within the other matching layer sections. | 09-23-2010 |
20110012478 | Thin-Film Device and Method of Fabricating The Same - A thin-film device and a method of fabricating the thin-film device are provided herein. The thin-film device comprises a bond layer, a film layer that has bulk material properties, and a substrate that has a heat-sensitive component disposed thereon. The method of fabricating the thin-film device comprises the step of providing an active material that has bulk material properties. The active material is bonded to the substrate through the bond layer. After bonding the active material to the substrate, the active material that is bonded to the substrate is thinned to produce the film layer of the thin-film device. The substrate is provided with the heat-sensitive component disposed thereon prior to bonding the active material to the substrate. | 01-20-2011 |
20110018395 | Cooling acoustic transducer with heat pipes - A transducer with a closed heat pipe is provided with a hot surface and a cold surface. The hot surface is in contact with the transducer interior and the cold surface is in contact with a cooler contact area. A fluid is used in the pipe which boils at the temperature of the hot surface and condenses at the temperature of the cold surface. A wick inside the heat pipe facilities the return by capillary action of the condensed fluid to the hot end. The heat pipe can be evacuated to adjust the boiling temperature of the fluid. A variant involves drilling additional holes into ceramic rings and inserting heat pipes. Increasing the heat pipe length into the tail mass and the piston increases the cool region for the fluid to condense; thereby improving the performance of the transducer. | 01-27-2011 |
20110025172 | Ultrasound Imaging Transducer Acoustic Stack with Integral Electrical Connections - An ultrasound transducer that includes a backing layer, an insulating layer disposed on top of the backing layer, and a plurality of conductive traces disposed on top of the insulating layer are disclosed. Each of the conductive traces has an upper face. A plurality of transducer elements, each having (a) a core of piezoelectric material and (b) a conductive coating disposed beneath the core, are bonded directly to the upper face of a respective one of the plurality of conductive traces. Methods for fabricating ultrasound transducers are also disclosed. | 02-03-2011 |
20110057545 | HIGH FREQUENCY ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER AND MATCHING LAYER COMPRISING CYANOACRYLATE - In one aspect, matching layers for an ultrasonic transducer stack having a matching layer comprising a matrix material loaded with a plurality of micron-sized and nano-sized particles. In another aspect, the matrix material is loaded with a plurality of heavy and light particles. In another aspect, an ultrasound transducer stack comprises a piezoelectric layer and at least one matching layer. In one aspect, the matching layer comprises a composite material comprising a matrix material loaded with a plurality of micron-sized and nano-sized particles. In a further aspect, the composite material can also comprise a matrix material loaded with a plurality of heavy and light particles. In a further aspect, a matching layer can also comprise cyanoacrylate. | 03-10-2011 |
20110062824 | Ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic probe and producing method - An ultrasonic probe having an ultrasonic transducer is provided. The ultrasonic transducer includes a first piezoelectric layer for transmitting ultrasonic waves to an object in a body. A second piezoelectric layer receives the ultrasonic waves reflected by the object. An acoustic matching layer is disposed between the first and second piezoelectric layers, for constituting an electrode common to the first and second piezoelectric layers. Preferably, the second piezoelectric layer is positioned nearer to the object than the first piezoelectric layer. The first piezoelectric layer is inorganic, and the second piezoelectric layer is organic. The acoustic matching layer contains metal, for example, silver. In one embodiment, the second piezoelectric layer includes plural receiving element regions, arranged in a first direction, and having volumes different from one another. | 03-17-2011 |
20110109199 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - Disclosed is an electromechanical transducer and the method for manufacturing the same, which can detect or control deformation and vibration of a structure and flow of fluids by applying controlling forces. The electromechanical transducer of the present invention comprises a base substrate to which initial stress is applied; an electro-active material layer attached on the base substrate; and electrodes installed on the top and bottom side of the electro-active material layer for actuating the electro-active material layer, the base substrate and the electro-active material layer which is deformed when initial stress is removed from the base substrate so that the base substrate and the electro-active material layer have curvatures. | 05-12-2011 |
20110115337 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER, ULTRASONIC SENSOR, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ULTRASONIC SENSOR - An ultrasonic transducer includes: a support member having an opening section; a diaphragm adapted to cover the opening section; and a piezoelectric member provided to the diaphragm and at least one of expanding and contracting in an in-plane direction in response to application of a voltage, wherein the diaphragm has a concave groove section formed to have a concave shape on a surface on an opposite side to one side exposed to the opening section, and the piezoelectric member is fixed to the diaphragm in an area outside the concave groove section, and disposed to cover the concave groove section so as to be opposed to a bottom of the concave groove section via a space. | 05-19-2011 |
20110115338 | Methods of Fabricating a Membrane With Improved Mechanical Integrity - Methods for fabricating robust films across a patterned underlying layer's edges or steps are disclosed. The novel methods diminish the negative effects of electrode steps or edges on the integrity of a membrane. Thus, the methods are particularly applicable to membrane release technology. The height of the step or edge is eliminated or reduced to increase the mechanical integrity of the film. | 05-19-2011 |
20110121687 | ULTRASOUND PROBE - A flexible printed circuit board, interposed between an intermediate member and a backing material, covers an almost whole back face of the intermediate member and has first and second wiring patterns. A first electrode is interposed between the piezoelectric transducer and the intermediate member, extracted onto the side face of the intermediate member contiguous with one side face of the piezoelectric transducer, and electrically connected to the first wiring pattern. A second electrode is formed on the ultrasound transmission face of the piezoelectric transducer, extracted by being routed on the other side face of the piezoelectric transducer and a side face of the intermediate member contiguous with the other side face of the piezoelectric transducer, and electrically connected to the second wiring pattern. | 05-26-2011 |
20110127885 | CLEAVING OF SUBSTRATES - An improved process of substrate cleaving and a device to perform the cleaving are disclosed. In the traditional cleaving process, a layer of microbubbles is created within a substrate through the implantation of ions of a gaseous species, such as hydrogen or helium. The size and spatial distribution of these microbubbles is enhanced through the use of ultrasound energy. The ultrasound energy causes smaller microbubbles to join together and also reduces the straggle. An ultrasonic transducer is acoustically linked with the substrate to facilitate these effects. In some embodiments, the ultrasonic transducer is in communication with the platen, such that ultrasound energy can be applied during ion implantation and/or immediately thereafter. In other embodiments, the ultrasonic energy is applied to the substrate during a subsequent process, such as an anneal. | 06-02-2011 |
20110140576 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER, ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER ARRAY AND ULTRASOUND ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS - An ultrasonic transducer arraying at even intervals ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and layering a plurality of acoustic matching layers on them, comprising an transducer shape forming member made of a fiber-reinforced thermosetting PPE for filling a gap formed on the side face of the ultrasonic transducer with the same material as that of the acoustic matching layer, mixing a colorant in a division member adjacent to a predefined ultrasonic transducer from among a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and arraying the plurality thereof. | 06-16-2011 |
20110215677 | MICROMACHINED PIEZOELECTRIC ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER ARRAYS - A piezoelectric composite micromachined ultrasound transducer including single and multilayer 1-D and 2-D arrays having through-wafer-vias (TWVs) that significantly decreased electrical impedance per element, and hence the improved electrical impedance matching to T/R electronics and improved signal to noise ratio is disclosed. The TWVs facilitate integrated interconnection in single element transducers (positive and negative contact on the same side) and array transducers (contact pads array for integration with T/R switches and/or pre-amplifier circuits). | 09-08-2011 |
20110221308 | METHOD FOR GLUING COMPONENTS, FORMING A TEMPERATURE-RESISTANT ADHESIVE LAYER - A method for gluing components is provided, forming an adhesive layer which is capable of functioning, at least in a temperature range of ≧100° C. to ≦160° C., wherein the adhesive layer is obtained from a curable reactive resin system. The reactive resin system includes an epoxy resin component and polymer particles dispersed in the epoxy resin component, the dispersed polymer particles furthermore including addition-crosslinked silicone elastomer. Also provided is the use of a reactive resin system for gluing piezoelectric ceramics and/or permanent magnets including rare earth elements and a component configuration including a piezoelectric ceramic, an impedance matching layer and an adhesive layer in contact with the piezoelectric ceramic and the impedance matching layer. | 09-15-2011 |
20110273059 | HIGH FREQUENCY PIEZOCOMPOSITE AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING SAME - A transducer with triangular cross-sectional shaped pillars is described for suppressing lateral modes within a composite, and a method for producing the same. According to one aspect of the present application, a plurality of triangular cross-sectional shaped pillars extends outwardly from a substrate and form an array of pillars. The resulting array of pillars is configured to suppress the lateral modes of the transducer at higher operating frequencies, such as, at or above 15 MHz, at or above 20 MHz, or at or above 30 MHz. | 11-10-2011 |
20110285249 | PIEZOLELECTRIC SOUND-GENERATING DEVICE - Provided is a piezoelectric sound generating device capable of obtaining a stable connection state of lead-out conductors constituted of a conductive resin layer. A piezoelectric sound generating device | 11-24-2011 |
20110291525 | VIBRATION ELEMENT, MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, AND VIBRATION WAVE ACTUATOR - A vibration element includes a substrate, a piezoelectric element including a piezoelectric layer and an electrode layer, and a bonding layer provided between the piezoelectric element and the substrate and comprising ceramic containing melted glass powder, wherein the vibration element causes the substrate to vibrate by vibration energy of the piezoelectric element to output the vibration energy of the substrate, and the piezoelectric element is fixed to the substrate via the bonding layer. | 12-01-2011 |
20110316387 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER AND FABRICATING THE SAME - An aspect of one embodiment, there is provided an ultrasonic transducer including a plurality of oscillators, each of the oscillator having a convex portion, a printed wiring board provided to be opposed to the convex portion, an adhesive material including at least a portion of the convex portion, the adhesive material joining the oscillator and the printed wiring board, and a resin provided between the oscillator and the printed wiring board, the resin covering the convex portion and the adhesive material. | 12-29-2011 |
20110316388 | ULTRASONIC SENSOR - An ultrasonic sensor is disclosed. The ultrasonic sensor includes a piezoelectric element and an acoustic matching member. The piezoelectric element is configured to detect ultrasonic wave transmitted from a transmitter and reflected by a detection target object located in a detection target space. The acoustic matching member is configured to conduct the received ultrasonic wave to the piezoelectric element. The piezo electric element is covered with the acoustic matching member including a principal oscillation portion and a supplement oscillation portion. Thickness of a part of the supplement oscillation portion, the part covering the piezoelectric element, is smaller than a predetermined thickness threshold. | 12-29-2011 |
20120007471 | Thermal Transfer and Acoustic Matching Layers for Ultrasound Transducer - Ultrasound transducers and methods of making ultrasound transducers with improved thermal characteristics are provided. An ultrasound transducer can include: a backing, a piezoelectric element attached to the backing, a first matching layer attached to the piezoelectric element, and a second matching layer attached to the first matching layer. The first matching layer can comprise metal and can have a thermal conductivity of about greater than 30 W/mK. The second matching layer can have a thermal conductivity of about 0.5-300 W/mK. The first matching layer can have an acoustic impedance of about 10-20 MRayl, and the second matching layer can have a lower acoustic impedance. The first matching layer can be thicker than the second matching layer. The ultrasound transducer can include a lens and a matching layer disposed between the piezoelectric element and the lens can be configured to conduct heat from the piezoelectric element to the backing. | 01-12-2012 |
20120013222 | Ultrasonic Sensor for Detecting and/or Scanning Objects - An ultrasonic sensor for detecting and/or scanning an object includes a substrate and a piezoelectric sensor unit arranged on or at this substrate and/or connected to this substrate. The rear side of the substrate facing away from the piezoelectric sensor unit has a surface structure including a plurality of elevated portions and recesses, with this surface structure being configured so that a diffuse scattering of ultrasonic waves incident on the rear side from the direction of the sensor unit takes place by it; and/or in that its elevated portions and/or recesses have a mean lateral extent in the range of 0.05 μm to 1 mm, preferably from 0.1 μm to 200 μm, preferably from 0.2 μm to 20 μm, and/or a mean lateral extent which is smaller than or equal to the wavelength of an ultrasonic wave which can be produced by the piezoelectric sensor unit. | 01-19-2012 |
20120056511 | Ultrasonic Transducer - An ultrasonic transducer includes a case having a closed end in the main axis direction, a piezoelectric element located substantially at the center of the closed end of the case, and a body arranged inside the case so as to be opposed to the piezoelectric element. The body has an irregular surface opposed to and spaced from the piezoelectric element. | 03-08-2012 |
20120112605 | ULTRASOUND PROBE INCLUDING CERAMIC LAYER FORMED WITH CERAMIC ELEMENTS HAVING DIFFERENT THICKNESS AND ULTRASOUND SYSTEM USING THE SAME - An ultrasound probe including a ceramic layer formed with a plurality of ceramic elements having different thicknesses and an ultrasound system using the same are disclosed. The ultrasound probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals includes at least one transducer element having a ceramic layer, wherein the ceramic layer includes a plurality of ceramic elements having different thicknesses. | 05-10-2012 |
20120146462 | LEAD-FREE PIEZOELECTRIC CERAMIC COMPOSITION, PIEZOELECTRIC ELEMENT COMPRISING SAME, KNOCK SENSOR, AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF LEAD-FREE PIEZOELECTRIC CERAMIC COMPOSITION - A lead-free piezoelectric ceramic composition includes a first crystal phase of alkali niobate/tantalate type perovskite oxide having piezoelectric properties and a second crystal phase of A—Ti—B—O composite oxide (where the element A is an alkali metal; the element B is at least one of Nb and Ta; and the contents of the element A, the element B and Ti are not zero). Examples of the second crystal phase are those represented by A | 06-14-2012 |
20120153776 | Ultrasound Transducer with Improved Adhesion Between Layers - Ultrasound transducers and methods of forming ultrasound transducers are provided. An ultrasound transducer can include an acoustic stack including: a dematching layer and a flexible circuit including a nonconductive layer and a conductive material. The conductive material can include a plurality of substantially parallel strips. Adhesive can be provided between the dematching layer and the flexible circuit such that it contacts the strips of conductive material and portions of the nonconductive layer between the strips of conductive material. A plurality of substantially parallel cuts can extend through the dematching layer, through the adhesive and into the nonconductive layer without cutting into the strips of conductive material. The flexible circuit can include a ground area and the strips of conductive material and cuts can be located thereon. The adhesive can encapsulate each strip of conductive material on three surfaces, including a top surface and two sides of each strip. | 06-21-2012 |
20120187801 | PIEZOELECTRIC SENSOR - The present invention provides a piezoelectric sensor that can reduce spurious vibration of a transducer. The piezoelectric sensor includes a transducer which has a piezoelectric body and a vibration plate and which transmits/receives ultrasound, and a mount supporting the transducer near nodes of mechanical vibration generated to the transducer. The mount includes ribs that contact the transducer near the nodes of vibration in a point by point, line by line or partially plane by plane contact manner to support the transducer, and retract portions which are provided side by side to respective ribs near the nodes of vibration and which are distant from the transducer so as not to support the transducer. | 07-26-2012 |
20120274182 | ULTRASONIC SENSOR - An ultrasonic sensor includes a casing body and a piezoelectric element. The casing body has a base wall and a surrounding wall that cooperates with the base wall to define an interior space. The base wall has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface has a first section, a second section that extends between the first section and the surrounding wall, and a connecting section interconnecting the first and second sections. A distance between the second section and the bottom surface is larger than that between the first section and the bottom surface such that the connecting section and the first section cooperate to define a recess. The piezoelectric element is confined in the recess. | 11-01-2012 |
20130043768 | ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER ARRAY - An ultrasonic transducer array and method of making an ultrasonic transducer array. The array comprising a plurality of individual array elements made from a piezoelectric composite which is made from a plurality of individual piezoelectric segments; a passive filler between the piezoelectric segments; and, one or more electrodes for driving the array elements formed from the piezoelectric segments; wherein the spatial pattern of the piezoelectric segments of the piezoelectric composite defines one or more non-linear, irregular channels which separate the piezoelectric segments thereby minimising interaction between the individual array elements and minimising spurious modes in the ultrasound transducer array. | 02-21-2013 |
20130043769 | OSCILLATOR - An oscillator includes a piezoelectric vibrator ( | 02-21-2013 |
20130062998 | PIEZOPOLYMER TRANSDUCER WITH MATCHING LAYER - Matching layers improve the performance of ultrasonic transducers. Such layers have traditionally required significant effort and expense to be added to ultrasonic transducers. The present invention discloses a method of producing ultrasonic transducers with a matching layer, specifically for ultrasonic transducers utilizing piezopolymer transducer materials. Rather than the conventional method of forming the piezopolymer on a substrate and then attaching a matching layer through which the transducer emits its ultrasound energy, we teach depositing the piezopolymer on a substrate that also serves as a matching layer through which the ultrasound is emitted. Methods of how to select materials and modify their ultrasonic characteristics are also discussed. | 03-14-2013 |
20130069484 | Ultrasound Transducer and Method for Making the Same - The present application provides a multilayer lateral mode coupling method for phased array construction and transducer devices built accordingly. This disclosure describes and demonstrates that the electrical impedance of a phased array can be substantially reduced and readily controlled to be close to the source impedance. The fabrication process is relatively simple and inexpensive. In addition, the elements are robust for use in 1.5, 2, 3 or other dimensional configurations, over an extended period of operation, without structural failure, and providing a high power output required for imaging and/or medical therapy applications. | 03-21-2013 |
20130119824 | ULTRASONIC GENERATOR WITH A RESONATOR HAVING A CLAMPING OPENING - The invention relates to an ultrasonic generator ( | 05-16-2013 |
20130127296 | TRANSDUCER ASSEMBLY - An ultrasonic transducer includes a wear plate ( | 05-23-2013 |
20130127297 | ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER AND PROCESSING METHODS THEREOF - An ultrasonic transducer includes a backing element, an active element overlying the backing layer, and a matching element overlying the active element, the matching element having an inner surface that contacts the active element and an outer surface with a non-homogeneous texture and/or material composition. The matching element may be formed by subtractive or deposition techniques. | 05-23-2013 |
20130140955 | METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS AND OTHER COMPONENTS - The disclosed technology features methods for the manufacture of electrical components such as ultrasound transducers. In particular, the disclosed technology provides methods of creating an ultrasonic transducer by connecting one or more multi-layer printed circuits to an array of ultrasound transducer elements. In one embodiment, the printed circuits have traces in a single layer that are spaced by a distance that is greater than a pitch of the transducer elements to which the multi-layer printed circuit is to be connected. However the traces from all the layers in the multi-layer printed circuit are interleaved to have a pitch that is equal to the pitch of the transducer elements. The disclosed technology also features ultrasound transducers produced by the methods described herein. | 06-06-2013 |
20130140956 | Ultrasonic Generator - An ultrasonic generator that includes an ultrasonic generating element and a first acoustic path. The ultrasonic generating element includes a frame including a through hole in its central portion, a first transducer being flat-shaped and bonded to a first principal surface of the frame, and a second transducer being flat-shaped and bonded to a second principal surface of the frame and is configured to generate ultrasonic waves in a buckling tuning-fork vibration mode where the first transducer and the second transducer vibrate in mutually opposite phases. The first acoustic path is disposed so as to be adjacent to at least one of both principal surfaces of the ultrasonic generating element and configured to compress the ultrasonic waves generated from the ultrasonic generating element and to allow the ultrasonic waves to propagate therethrough in a direction along the principal surface of the ultrasonic generating element. | 06-06-2013 |
20130207517 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER - An ultrasonic transducer includes an ultrasonic transmitting and receiving portion, a housing, a driving device, a casing, a first volume compensation mechanism, a ventilating portion, a diaphragm, and a component. The housing houses the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving portion, and the housing seals ultrasonic propagation liquid. The driving device is configured to drive the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving portion. The casing houses the driving device. The first volume compensation mechanism is configured to absorb a volume change of the ultrasonic propagation liquid. The diaphragm divides an internal space of the casing into at least a first internal space and a second internal space. The ventilating portion is configured to ventilate the first internal space to outside of the casing. The component is disposed in a space other than the first internal space in the internal space and includes a frame ground that electrically connects to an electrical circuit. | 08-15-2013 |
20130207518 | ELECTRICAL CONTACTS TO A RING TRANSDUCER - Various embodiments include apparatus and methods of providing a piezoelectric element having a surface front surface to operate as an active surface of a transducer on which a number of separate electrodes are disposed such that the electrodes on the front surface provide an effectively flat surface to the transducer. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. | 08-15-2013 |
20130221805 | ULTRASONIC PROBE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE ULTRASONIC PROBE - An ultrasonic probe includes: a piezoelectric transducer which generates ultrasonic waves when voltage is applied to the piezoelectric transducer; and an acoustic matching layer for matching acoustic impedances between the piezoelectric transducer and a subject. The acoustic matching layer includes a sintered layer having, across a surface of the sintered layer, a plurality of microscopic pores formed by sintering a composite including a bonding material and metal nanoparticles each having a size of one micron or less. | 08-29-2013 |
20130241355 | ULTRASOUND PROBE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ULTRASOUND PROBE - A backing material is provided on the back face side of a piezoelectric transducer, with a first width substantially equal to the piezoelectric transducer widthwise and perpendicular to the radiation direction. A front face of a layer located on the front face side with regard to a wiring pattern has a width substantially equal to the first width. Moreover, the back face of this layer has a second width shorter than the first width. A space is provided between this layer and the backing material due to the difference between the first width and the second width of this layer, and a covering member covering the wiring pattern covers the wiring pattern extending at least from the folded section of the flexible substrate into the space. | 09-19-2013 |
20130293065 | ULTRA WIDE BANDWIDTH PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCER ARRAYS - Piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) arrays and systems comprising pMUT arrays are described. In an embodiment, coupling strength within a population of transducer elements provides degenerate mode shapes that split for wide bandwidth total response while less coupling strength between adjacent element populations provides adequately low crosstalk between the element populations. In an embodiment, differing membrane sizes within a population of transducer elements provides differing frequency response for wide bandwidth total response while layout of the differing membrane sizes between adjacent element populations provides adequately low crosstalk between the element populations. In an embodiment, close packing of membranes within a population of transducer elements provides improved efficiency for the wide bandwidth embodiments. In an embodiment, elliptical piezoelectric membranes provide multiple resonant modes for wide bandwidth total response and high efficiency while orthogonality of the semi-principal axes between adjacent element populations provides adequately low crosstalk between the element populations. | 11-07-2013 |
20130293066 | ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER, ULTRASOUND PROBE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER - The purpose is to provide an ultrasound transducer and ultrasound probe without the complexity of the manufacturing process of the non-conductive acoustic matching layer while ensuring the electric conductive path. Pluralities of two-dimensionally arranged piezoelectrics are comprised in the ultrasound transducer. Electrodes are provided for each piezoelectric. Furthermore, the non-conductive acoustic matching layer with the first surface on the electrode side and the second surface on the opposite side of the first surface is comprised in the ultrasound transducer, and moreover, the electric conductive acoustic matching layer arranged on the second surface side of the non-conductive acoustic matching layer is comprised in the ultrasound transducer. Moreover, the substrate arranged on the opposite side of the non-conductive acoustic matching layer is arranged with respect to the electric conductive acoustic matching layer. The plurality of grooves penetrating the non-conductive acoustic matching layer, leading up to mid-way of the piezoelectrics of the first surface side or mid-way of the electric conductive acoustic matching layer of the second surface side is formed between the first surface and the second surface of the non-conductive acoustic matching layer. Moreover, the electrode and the substrate are electrically conducted via the groove. | 11-07-2013 |
20130342079 | ELECTRONIC COMPONENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE ELECTRONIC COMPONENT - The invention relates to an electronic component having a layer sequence, which comprises at least a first electrode ( | 12-26-2013 |
20140062259 | PULSE-ECHO ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER - A piezoceramic pulse-echo acoustic transducer includes protection layers for the piezoceramic that are tuned to the piezoceramic so as to optimize pulse-echo signal response (i.e. greater output signal bandwidth and increased return signal sensitivity). The protection layers are tuned to the piezoceramic via material selection and thickness. The acoustic transducer has a backing, a piezoceramic adjacent the backing, an intermediate protection layer adjacent the piezoceramic, and a front protection layer adjacent the intermediate protection layer and opposite the piezoceramic. The front and intermediate protection layers are tuned to the piezoceramic via their acoustic impedance such that the acoustic impedance of the intermediate layer is greater than the acoustic impedance of the piezoceramic and of the front protection layer. The acoustic impedance of the front protection layer is less than the acoustic impedance of the piezoceramic. | 03-06-2014 |
20140062260 | ULTRASONIC SENSOR DEVICE - An ultrasonic sensor device includes a housing, a transducer, a securing unit and a circuit board. The housing has an enclosing portion formed with first and second openings. The transducer is mounted to the enclosing portion at the second opening, and includes an electrically conductive surrounding wall and a piezoelectric member. The securing unit includes a securing component that secures the transducer on the enclosing portion, and a connecting pin set including two pins each having an end connected electrically to a respective one of the surrounding wall and the piezoelectric member. The circuit board is disposed at the first opening of the enclosing portion for electrical connection with the connecting pin set. | 03-06-2014 |
20140062261 | ULTRASONIC PROBE, PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCER, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ULTRASONIC PROBE, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCER - According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic probe includes a single crystal piezoelectric body with first and second planes facing each other and having a crystal orientation of [100], first and second electrodes on the respective first and second plane of the piezoelectric body, an acoustic matching layer on the first electrode, and a backing member under the second electrode, wherein the piezoelectric body is polarized along a first direction passing through the piezoelectric body and first and second electrodes, a fracture surface of the piezoelectric body that includes the first direction has a multilayer shape along one of the first and second electrodes, and a thickness of each layer of the multilayer shape is not less than 0.5 μm and not more than 5 μm. | 03-06-2014 |
20140070668 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER, MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, AND ULTRASONIC PROBE - The purpose is to provide an ultrasonic transducer and ultrasonic probe without the complexity of the manufacturing process of a non-conductive acoustic matching layer while ensuring the conductive path. In the non-conductive acoustic matching layer comprising the first surface of the electrode side and the second surface of the opposite side of the piezoelectrics, a plurality of first grooves leading up to the mid-way point between the first surface and the second surface are arranged on each of the first surfaces of the non-conductive acoustic matching later in response to the arrangement of sound elements. Moreover, each of the second surfaces is provided with the plurality of second grooves leading up to at least the mid-way point from the second surface, intersecting the first grooves. | 03-13-2014 |
20140097724 | LIQUID-EJECTING HEAD, LIQUID-EJECTING APPARATUS, PIEZOELECTRIC ELEMENT, AND PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIAL - A liquid-ejecting head includes a pressure-generating chamber communicating with a nozzle opening, and a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric layer contains a perovskite complex oxide containing Bi, La, Fe, and Mn and is ferroelectric. | 04-10-2014 |
20140103781 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER DEVICE, PROBE HEAD, ULTRASONIC PROBE, ELECTRONIC MACHINE AND ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS - An ultrasonic transducer device includes a substrate on which a plurality of openings are arranged; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements, each of the ultrasonic transducer elements being provided to each of the openings of the plurality of openings, on a first surface of the substrate; and a member fixed to a second surface of the substrate, which is a surface on the opposite side of the first surface of the substrate. Provided to the member are a plurality of first groove sections, and a second groove section for bundling together the plurality of the first groove sections. | 04-17-2014 |
20140103782 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER AND FABRICATING THE SAME - An aspect of one embodiment, there is provided an ultrasonic transducer including a plurality of oscillators, each of the oscillator having a convex portion, a printed wiring board provided to be opposed to the convex portion and electrically connected to the convex portion, a resin provided between the oscillator and the printed wiring board, the resin covering at least the convex portion and a portion of the printed wiring board. | 04-17-2014 |
20140117814 | MULTILAYER ACOUSTIC IMPEDANCE CONVERTER FOR ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS - An impedance conversion layer useful for medical imaging ultrasonic transducers comprises a low impedance polymer layer and a high impedance metal layer. These layers are combined with corresponding thicknesses adapted to provide a function of converting from a specific high impedance to specific low impedance, wherein the polymer layer is at the high impedance side and the metal layer is at the low impedance side. The effective acoustic impedance of the polymer and metal layer combination may be adapted to configure an impedance converter in the same way as a quarter wavelength impedance converter, converting from low impedance to high impedance (metal to polymer) or from a high impedance to low impedance (polymer to metal). This structure may be used for front matching with the propagation medium and back matching with an absorber for ultrasonic transducers. | 05-01-2014 |
20140139072 | ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - The present invention relates to an ultrasound transducer assembly ( | 05-22-2014 |
20140184025 | RESONATOR FOR THE DISTRIBUTION AND PARTIAL TRANSFORMATION OF LONGITUDINAL VIBRATIONS AND METHOD FOR TREATING AT LEAST ONE FLUID BY MEANS OF A RESONATOR ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION - The invention relates to a resonator for the distribution and partial transformation of longitudinal vibrations and to a method for treating at least one fluid by means of a resonator according to the invention. The resonator is designed for the distribution of longitudinal vibrations and the partial transformation thereof into longitudinal vibrations that are superimposed by vibrations oriented towards the centre of gravity or approximately towards the centre of gravity of a cross-sectional surface of at least one opening of the resonator. The resonator comprises a natural number of parallel elements of at least lambda/2 or a natural multiple thereof, at least one of the lambda/2 elements comprising at least one opening suitable for transmitting the transformed vibrations to a fluid located inside the opening. | 07-03-2014 |
20140184026 | Wirebonding Fixture and Casting Mold - The present disclosure involves a method and apparatus for attaching two electrical dies by wire bonding and then encasing the assembly in a protective casting that works by arranging two dies into a fixture conducive to wire bonding. Doped epoxy may be immediately dispensed over the assembly to form a near-net-shape protective cover, or Drive Can. | 07-03-2014 |
20140203687 | Stealth Dicing for Ultrasound Transducer Array - An ultrasound transducer array is formed with stealth dicing. A laser is used to form defects within the piezoelectric substrate and along the desired kerf locations. The substrate is fractured along the defects. A controlled expansion, such as using thermal expansion, may be used to establish the desired kerf width. Spacers may be used to maintain the desired kerf width. The kerfs are filled to create the ultrasound transducer array. | 07-24-2014 |
20140217854 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER - An ultrasonic transducer as an important part of an ultrasonic flow meter is described, with a transducer housing and with a transducer element, the transducer housing having an ultrasound window and a housing tube, the transducer element being made for sending or receiving ultrasonic waves and being either near the ultrasound window of the transducer housing or away from the ultrasound window of the transducer housing, there being a relatively soft mechanical coupling system and the mechanical coupling system having preferably at least one weakly coupled mechanical resonator. The ultrasonic transducer is improved with respect to the prevention of the transmission of housing waves by there being a second soft mechanical coupling system. | 08-07-2014 |
20140246954 | WAVEGUIDE FOR A BULK-TYPE MEDIUM, VIBRATIOR USING SAME TO TRANSMIT SHEAR WAVES TO A BULK-TYPE MEDIUM, AND METHOD USING THE VIBRATOR TO TRANSMIT SHEAR WAVES TO A BULK-TYPE MEDIUM - The aim of the present invention is to provide a waveguide capable of transmitting shear waves in a desired pattern to a bulk-type medium, a vibrator, and a method of transmitting shear waves by using the vibrator. To this end, the present invention provides a waveguide including a vibrating portion that is vibrated by a vibrating unit, a transmitting portion that transmits shear waves generated by the vibrating unit to a bulk-type medium and is thicker than the vibrating portion, and a connecting portion that contacts both the vibrating portion and the transmitting portion and has a thickness varying from a portion connecting the vibrating portion to a portion contacting the transmitting portion. Also, the present invention provides a vibrator using the waveguide and a method of transmitting shear waves by using the vibrator. | 09-04-2014 |
20140252917 | LAMINATED PIEZOELECTRIC ELEMENT AND MULTI-FEED DETECTION SENSOR - A laminated piezoelectric element that includes a piezoelectric element layer and a matching layer. The piezoelectric element layer is configured to have a plurality of piezoelectric layers and a plurality of electrode layers laminated together. The matching layer is laminated on the piezoelectric element layer, and is different in acoustic impedance from the piezoelectric element layer. When Vp represents the acoustic velocity in the piezoelectric element layer, Vm represents the acoustic velocity in the matching layer, Tp represents the thickness dimension of the piezoelectric element layer, and Tm represents the thickness dimension of the matching layer, Vp/Vm=Tp/Tm holds. Further, when W represents the dimension of the laminated piezoelectric element in the width direction, Tp+Tm>W holds. | 09-11-2014 |
20140285068 | PIEZOELECTRIC THIN-FILM ELEMENT, PIEZOELECTRIC SENSOR AND VIBRATION GENERATOR - A piezoelectric thin-film element includes a substrate, a lower electrode layer formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric thin-film layer that is formed on the lower electrode layer and includes potassium sodium niobate having a perovskite structure represented by the composition formula of (K | 09-25-2014 |
20140292148 | ACOUSTIC MATCHING BODY, ULTRASONIC PROBE, AND ULTRASONIC IMAGING DEVICE - An acoustic matching body includes an element connection surface connectable to an ultrasonic wave emission surface of an ultrasonic transducer element, a curved surface that has a shape of a convexity above the element connection surface and is formed by generatrices parallel to one another, and a slit-like through hole that passes through between the element connection surface and the curved surface. | 10-02-2014 |
20140333182 | ULTRASONIC GENERATOR - An ultrasonic generator that is capable of increasing output sound pressure is provided. | 11-13-2014 |
20140354113 | HIGH FREQUENCY PIEZOCOMPOSITE AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING SAME - A transducer with triangular cross-sectional shaped pillars is described for suppressing lateral modes within a composite, and a method for producing the same. According to one aspect of the present application, a plurality of triangular cross-sectional shaped pillars extends outwardly from a substrate and form an array of pillars. The resulting array of pillars is configured to suppress the lateral modes of the transducer at higher operating frequencies, such as, at or above 15 MHz, at or above 20 MHz, or at or above 30 MHz. | 12-04-2014 |
20140354114 | ACOUSTIC WAVE DEVICE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME - An acoustic wave device includes: a support substrate; a piezoelectric substrate; and a cap substrate, wherein the cap substrate includes a first region located along an outer peripheral portion of the cap substrate, a second region located along an inside of the first region and having a thickness less than a thickness of the first region, and a third region located inside the second region and having a thickness less than a thickness of the second region, and a surface of the first region is bonded to the surface of the outer peripheral portion of the support substrate, a surface of the second region is bonded to a surface of an outer peripheral portion of the piezoelectric substrate, and a surface of the third region is located away from a surface of the piezoelectric substrate to form a space for the excitation electrode to vibrate. | 12-04-2014 |
20150008796 | ULTRASONIC SENSOR ASSEMBLY - Provided is an ultrasonic sensor assembly. The present invention simplifies an assembly structure of the ultrasonic sensor assembly, and thus enables a process of the ultrasonic sensor assembly to be performed as an automation process. | 01-08-2015 |
20150042210 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSFORMATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An electromechanical transformation device comprises an alkaline niobate piezoelectric ceramic composition and a rigid body adhered onto the major surface of the piezoelectric ceramic composition. The piezoelectric ceramic composition is made of crystal structures such as orthorhombic crystals formed at the side where the temperature is lower than the orthorhombic-to-tetragonal phase transition temperature, tetragonal crystals formed at the side where the temperature is higher than the orthorhombic-to-tetragonal phase transition temperature as well as at the side where the temperature is lower than the tetragonal-to-cubic phase transition temperature, and the cubic crystals formed at the side where the temperature is higher than the tetragonal-to-cubic phase transition temperature. Young's modulus of the rigid body is 60 GPa or more and the volume percent of the piezoelectric ceramic composition existing within a range where the distance from the adhesion point of the piezoelectric ceramic composition and the rigid body is 40% or more. | 02-12-2015 |
20150061465 | ULTRASONIC PROBE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - Provided is an ultrasonic probe that is capable of easily dissipating heat generated therein using porous carbon allotrope foams. The ultrasonic probe includes: a matching layer; a piezoelectric layer disposed on a bottom surface of the matching layer; and a backing layer disposed on a bottom surface of the piezoelectric layer and formed of porous carbon allotrope foams and backing materials. | 03-05-2015 |
20150084484 | LINEAR DRIVING DEVICE AS WELL AS ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND HUMAN BODY FITTING ARTICLE BOTH EMPLOYING SUCH LINEAR DRIVING DEVICE - A linear driving device includes a slight rapid vibratory movements producing member coupled with one end of a driving shaft which causes said driving shaft to be moved in said an axial direction, a casing for supporting at least either said driving shaft or said slight rapid vibratory movements producing member so that said driving shaft can be moved in said axial direction; and a moving body to be coupled with said driving shaft so that said moving body can be moved in the axial direction. When said moving body moves from one end side toward the other end side of said driving shaft, a part of said moving body which forms the surface facing the other end side opposite to said one end of said moving body may hit against a component which stops said moving body from moving further toward the other end side of said driving shaft. | 03-26-2015 |
20150097468 | PIEZOELECTRIC ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER ARRAY WITH SWITCHED OPERATIONAL MODES - Switchable micromachined transducer arrays are described where one or more switches, or relays, are monolithically integrated with transducer elements in a piezoelectric micromachined transducer array (pMUT). In embodiments, a MEMS switch is implemented on the same substrate as the transducer array for switching operational modes of the transducer array. In embodiments, a plurality of transducers are interconnected in parallel through MEMS switch(es) in a first operational mode (e.g., a drive mode) during a first time period, and are then interconnected through the MEMS switch(es) with at least some of the transducers in series in a second operational mode (e.g., a sense mode) during a second time period. | 04-09-2015 |
20150108873 | Sound Transducer Arrangement - A sound transducer system is provided having a piezoelectrically active electret material between a first and a second electrode structure. The electret material is applied on the first electrode structure, so that the first electrode structure is completely covered with the electret material. The second electrode structure is situated on or above the electret material, so that the electret material is situated between the first and second electrode structure. The first electrode structure is configured from a plurality of electrode elements that are addressable independently of one another. The electrode elements thus define the individual sound transducer elements, which together form a sound transducer system, also designated an array. The first electrode structure is configured on a surface of a multilayer circuit bearer. | 04-23-2015 |
20150130325 | PIEZOELECTRIC ELEMENT, AND PIEZOELECTRIC VIBRATING DEVICE, PORTABLE TERMINAL, ACOUSTIC GENERATOR, ACOUSTIC GENERATING DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - There are provided a piezoelectric element in which the peeling of a surface electrode is suppressed, and a piezoelectric vibrating device, a portable terminal, an acoustic generator, an acoustic generating device and an electronic apparatus including the same. A piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric element including a plate-shaped stacked body including inner electrodes and piezoelectric layers laminated, a surface electrode disposed on one of main surfaces of the stacked body, the surface electrode being electrically connected to the inner electrodes. The surface electrode has a first area and a second area. The first area is an area mainly containing silver, and the second area is an area mainly containing silver and palladium and disposed so as to contact a piezoelectric layer. | 05-14-2015 |
20150298172 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER ELEMENT CHIP, PROBE, ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT, AND ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE - An ultrasonic transducer element chip includes a substrate, a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements and a plate-shaped member. The substrate includes a partition wall section defining a plurality of openings arranged in an array pattern. A wall thickness of the partition wall section is smaller than a wall height of partition wall section. Each of the ultrasonic transducer elements is provided in each of the openings. The plate-shaped member is fixed on a surface of the substrate opposite to a surface of the substrate on which the ultrasonic transducer elements are provided. The plate-shaped member covers at least one of the openings in a plan view seen along a thickness direction of the substrate. | 10-22-2015 |
20150298173 | PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCERS USING MICRO-DOME ARRAYS - An ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer device includes a transducer array consisting of an array of vibrating elements, and a base to which the array of vibrating elements in the transducer array are attached. The base include integrated electrical interconnects for carrying driving signals and sensed signals between the vibrating elements and an external control circuit. The base can be an ASIC wafer that includes integrated circuitry for controlling the driving and processing the sensed signals. The interconnects and control circuits in the base fit substantially within an area below the array of multiple vibrating elements. | 10-22-2015 |
20150340590 | VIBRATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - In one arrangement, a vibration system includes a vibratable plate, a support member surrounding the vibratable plate, and a vibration-inducing member surrounding the support member. The vibration-inducing member is configured to radially expand and contract against the support member so as to produce axial vibration of the vibratable plate. In another arrangement, the vibratable plate has an outer circumference; a tubular member is concentrically disposed about the outer circumference of the plate, and an annular vibration-inducing member is concentrically disposed about the outer circumference of the tubular member. The vibration-inducing member is preferably a piezoelectric ring that is radially expandable and contractable against the wall of the tubular member to cause the plate to vibrate in the axial direction. | 11-26-2015 |
20150372219 | PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCER, ULTRASONIC PROBE, AND PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCER MANUFACTURING METHOD - According to embodiment, a piezoelectric transducer includes a polarized single crystal piezoelectric body comprising a lead complex perovskite compound containing niobium oxide and at least one of magnesium oxide and indium oxide and including a first plane whose crystal orientation is [100] and a second plane which faces the first plane and whose crystal orientation is [100], and first electrode provided on the first plane side of the body and a second electrode provided on the second plane side of the body. A ratio of a second FWHM of diffracted X-rays at the Miller index (400) of the body to a first FWHM of diffracted X-rays at the miller index (400) of the body which is unpolarized or has undergone depolarization processing is not less than 0.22 and not more than 0.4. | 12-24-2015 |
20150380636 | Curable Organopolysiloxane Composition For Transducers And Applications Of Such Curable Silicone Composition For Transducers - The present invention provides a curable organopolysiloxane composition capable of producing a cured article that can be used as a transducer and provided with excellent mechanical characteristics and/or electrical characteristics. The present invention also relates to a novel curable organopolysiloxane composition for transducer use comprising a curable organopolysiloxane composition, dielectric inorganic fine particles having a specific dielectric constant of greater than or equal to 10, and fine particles having a specific dielectric constant of less than 10. | 12-31-2015 |
20160016199 | ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER WITH IMPEDANCE MATCHING LAYER - A piezoelectric transducer is mounted in a housing. An impedance matching layer is provided between the piezoelectric transducer and the housing. The impedance matching layer includes high-permittivity regions that have a first permittivity, and low-permittivity regions that separate the high-permittivity regions and have a second permittivity. The second permittivity is lower than the first permittivity. | 01-21-2016 |
20160023245 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE USING A TACTILE VIBRATOR - Examples of portable electronic devices including a piezo actuated vibrator for providing tactile feedback to the user are described. Portable electronic devices according to the present disclosure may include tactile feedback devices, which may be driven by a piezoelectric actuator/vibrator that is operatively coupled to or embedded into the housing of a portable electronic device. In some examples, the housing of the electronic device itself can be made of piezoelectric ceramic material. The piezoelectric element may be coupled to the housing of the product to cause the housing to deflect and/or vibrate. In some examples, the housing of the portable electronic device, which may be a portable media player device, may be configured for placement directly or indirectly in contact with the user's skin such that vibrations of the housing may be felt directly (without audible feedback) by the user. | 01-28-2016 |
20160141488 | METHOD FOR ELECTRICALLY CONTACTING A PIEZOELECTRIC CERAMIC - A method for electrically contacting a piezoelectric ceramic includes: providing the piezoelectric ceramic having electrodes for electrically contacting the piezoelectric ceramic and having a flexible, electrically conductive film; producing a composite by applying the flexible, electrically conductive film at least partially to an electrode of the piezoelectric ceramic; forming a durable, electrically conductive connection between the flexible, electrically conductive film and the electrode of the piezoelectric ceramic. Also a sound transducer, as well as a sound transducer array produced using the method for electrically contacting a piezoelectric ceramic. | 05-19-2016 |
20160149117 | ULTRASONIC SENSOR AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF - An ultrasonic sensor includes a substrate. A first electrode and a first piezoelectric layer are stacked on one side of the substrate. A second electrode and a second piezoelectric layer are stacked on the other side of the substrate. A notch is defined in the first piezoelectric layer. And a conductive film is coated within the notch to couple the first electrode and the first piezoelectric layer. | 05-26-2016 |
20160155532 | DIELECTRIC FILM, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME, AND TRANSDUCER INCLUDING THE SAME | 06-02-2016 |
20160158801 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER FOR PARAMETRIC ARRAY - An ultrasonic transducer having a reduced cost of manufacture. The ultrasonic transducer includes a first insulative retaining layer, a second insulative retaining layer, and a vibrator film layer sandwiched between the first and second retaining layers. The first retaining layer includes a first plurality of apertures formed therethrough, and the second retaining layer includes a second plurality of apertures formed therethrough, in which the second apertures are substantially in registration with the first apertures. The ultrasonic transducer further includes a first cover portion having a plurality of spring/backplate assemblies connected thereto, and a second cover portion. The combination of the first retaining layer, the vibrator film layer, and the second retaining layer is sandwiched between the first and second cover portions of the ultrasonic transducer. The laminated construction of the ultrasonic transducer allows the formation of an array of ultrasonic film transducers using a single piece of ultrasonic vibrator film. | 06-09-2016 |
20160167090 | TRANSDUCER WITH MESA | 06-16-2016 |
20180021813 | CMUT ARRAY COMPRISING AN ACOUSTIC WINDOW LAYER | 01-25-2018 |